In some deployments a base station may not have access to a wired (for example fiber) or wireless (for example point to point microwave) backhaul that satisfies the data network access requirements from a plurality of user equipment that is connected to the base station over a wireless access technology (for example cellular). In some deployments the access traffic of a base station is backhauled from the base station through a second base station (for example a donor base station) over the wireless access technology (this scenario is typically called a relay node or relay base station). In these cases the wireless access resources will be shared between the user equipment for the base station and the second base station and the backhaul of the access traffic from the base station. Typically wireless access technology resources are at a premium and the duplication may not be efficient. In some scenarios the quality of the link between the base station and the second base station is not sufficient or adds latency for/to the end to end link or the interference of the additional backhaul through the wireless communication technology degrades the overall wireless system. Therefore it is desirable to have improved systems and methods enhancing backhaul for relay nodes of wireless communication networks.